Trump's nominee for Commerce secretary calls himself 'pro-trade' so long as it's 'sensible-trade'

Wilbur Ross, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Commerce
secretary, called himself "pro-trade" during his Wednesday
confirmation hearing, but only so far as it is "sensible trade."

Ross added that NAFTA will be an early target of his department,
and that he was "very favorable" toward the Trans-Pacific
Partnership until he "came across some things that were not
consistent with what had been advertised."

"We should not put up with malicious trading activities,
state-owned enterprises or subsidized production," Ross said,
later pointing a finger at China. He called the nation "the most
protectionist country of very large countries."

The nominee told the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation that the US should only provide market access to
"nations who agree to play by our standards of free trade" and
that countries who do not should be "punished ... severely."

He also signaled some agreement with Trump on tariffs, as the
president-elect has threatened to use them on companies — much to
the dismay of congressional Republicans — who move jobs out of
the country and then try to ship products back into the US.

Ross called tariffs a "negotiating tool" as well as something to
use to "punish offenders who don't play by the rules."

The billionaire investor — who announced a plan to sell some of his
holdings and step down from a series of companies should he be
confirmed — makes up one-third of Trump's top trade team,
which also features outspoken China hawks Peter Navarro, as head
of Trump's newly formed White House National Trade Council, and
Robert Lighthizer, as United States Trade Representative.

Trump made the renegotiation of US trade deals a centerpiece of
his campaign, and he has accused China of "raping our country" and being at the head of
the greatest "jobs theft" in history.